Follow Your Heart
by BleachedSamurai
Summary: What do you do when you want to go one way but your heart is telling you to go another? Mainly focused on Mugen's actions and thoughts with Fuu coming towards the end, only briefly. Rated T for Mugen's foul language, that potty mouth. Complete for the time being. UPDATED! :)


This is my first fanfic … ever. I loved reading everybody else's fanfic on Samurai Champloo that it inspired me to write one of my own. I love this series (since I've watched it about five times and counting), kind of wish they will do a second one to follow up after the split. I think it would be kind of fun. Anyways, please read and review. Let me know what you think, constructive criticism is appreciated, just be gentle. :)

I DO NOT OWN SAMURAI CHAMPLOO OR ITS CHARACTERS.

* * *

Stars blazed in the night sky above him. It became dark very quickly and it's about time for him to find a place to crash for the night. A scruffy wild haired man looked about his surroundings for a spot along the side of the road that he could settle himself in, but there is nothing around him except for an old rotting shack that has seen better days. The wood is freaking warped in odd angles and the roof collapsed some many years ago that its wooden planks splintered across the dirt floor. Not exactly a good place to stay but it looked like it was the best place to sleep for the time being.

He took one last look around before he started for the shack, but quickly stopped when he noticed a split in the road not too far away from him. He had to squint his eyes to get a better look at the split and that's when he realized that he finally came to the fork that he has been looking for. "Jeez, about fucking time." The wild haired man said out loud then turned away from the beaten up shack to the split in the road. The wild haired man has been traveling day in and day out trying to find this landmark for who knows how long. His travels abroad have been very peaceful yet relaxing without anyone tagging along, needless to say. Although, his traveling brought unwanted memories of a certain someone that made his travels not so nice and quiet a long while ago.

'Why am I starting to think about that damn broad? She is such a pain in the fucking ass.' The wild haired man thought to himself just as he came to the split. He noticed in the dark of night that there is a sign post in front of him and he wished that there was a way for him to see where each dirt road led. He sighed heavily as he slumped forwards in exhaustion but tried his damnest to read the letters on the post. He strained his eyes to read the names on the signs, but it was no use when there is no moon hanging in the sky. It's a moonless night for the wild haired man and he wished that there was a moon for him to light his way in the night. But atlas, there isn't and he has to live with it.

He sighed heavily again in frustration and was about to head off to the left when he lifted his head to look off to the right. There in the distance is faint lights of a large village where he can hear festive music playing from where he's standing. Part of him did not want to go in that direction because he is not in the mood to head into a town where there are crowds upon crowds of people with wide smiles and little punk kids giggling. Just the sound of the music is irritating him that his feet did the thinking and steered off to the left where there is a never ending darkness and large clump of trees.

"Well, it looks like there won't be no soft bed and pretty women tonight. Oh well." The wild haired man said out loud then begun his trek into the nothingness ahead of him.

As his feet moved, the wild haired man couldn't help but look back in the direction where the happy sounding music is playing. Something is telling him he should go that way, but he is having a hard time forcing himself to go in the direction of the lights. He stood there at the crossroads with apprehension across his tanned face, curious of why is heart is telling him to go in the direction that he doesn't want to go.

'Come on, Mugen, just go in the direction to your left. You would be better off sleeping under the stars then dealing with loud noises when you are this dead beat tired.' Mugen thought to himself. He may have thought of this but he couldn't ignore this sudden longing that is overwhelming his heart.

He hesitated a moment before he officially made up his mind and went towards the lights. 'What am I doing? This is so fucking stupid.' Mugen thought again as he trudged down the dirt road to the booming music. He didn't think it would take him a short time to get to the edge of town and see that there is a celebration happening before him. Mugen eyed the swarm of happy men and women with children dancing and laughing with an uncomfortable glare.

There are so many bright colors of red, pink and yellow lights streaming down the large alleys where thin pink, purple and white ribbons fell towards the ground with glee. There is something odd about this celebration and Mugen did not like it. Knowing that he should have stuck with his gut and stayed to left, Mugen couldn't help but growl with displeasure. "Dammit, why did I have to come this way?" he said to himself a bit too loud that an elderly man heard him.

The old man's wrinkled face eyed Mugen with uneasiness at first but quickly greets him with a wide, happy smile. "Welcome, young lad. So glad you could join us on this joyous event." The old man said as he walked towards the new comer.

"Yeah, what's so great that you and these idiots are so happy about this so called "event?" Mugen asked a little too harshly.

"Oh, you haven't heard?"

"Heard what, old man?"

"The yakuza men that were taking over our town have finally been drawn out thanks to a very lovely young lady. We are celebrating that we finally got our village back the way it was and declared a celebration in honor of the young samurai girl."

"Young samurai girl, huh? What exactly could she have done to draw them out of your happy-go-lucky of a town? Slept with them all?" Mugen sneered.

"You certainly have a dirty mind, young man, but that is far from what she done. She challenged the leader of the yakuza. It was insane due to the kind of challenge she issued but it certainly was a bold one, I must say."

"What was the challenge, I must wonder?" Mugen asked with little interest on how the girl managed to force the yakuza out of the town. He had a general idea of what she done but he wanted to hear from someone who saw the duel.

"Huh? You want to know what the challenge was?" the old man asked out of confusion.

"Well, yeah. If this so called "samurai girl" really challenged the guy and won, I would like to know what she done to get rid of them."

"Pardon me for implying, but I'm going out on a limp and say that you have been traveling for a while and haven't heard about the yakuza invasion here three months ago."

"Yeah, I don't stay in one place for long. I tend to wonder without reason, so I have not heard anything about it, as you so put it."

"Well, I'm afraid it's not my place to tell that tale, young man. You're gonna have to ask her, if you are so interested. She's located more towards the center of the village. There's a small teahouse on the corner that she has taken a liking to. You can find her there, if you don't see her anywhere else. But please feel free and stay for a while, we don't see many visitors here. So please enjoy the celebration."

"Yeah, alright. Later, pops." Mugen replied then pushed his way through the large crowds to find this girl that the old man talked about.

He doesn't know why he is so interested in knowing what the girl did to draw the yakuza out of town. Mugen had a feeling that she just bribed the guy with sex or a gambling game. It's one of those two, Mugen believed. As he forced his way past a group of very attractive women, Mugen couldn't help but think about the damn broad he thought about earlier. He can't recall how long its been since he seen the little bitch, a nickname he had a tendency to call her on occasions. If he remembers correctly, it has been a full two years since he has seen her along with that fish-face, Jin.

'God, why the hell am I thinking about those two idiots? There were nothing but dead weight, especially that little brat, Fuu. She was always a pain in my fucking ass. Always getting kidnapped and getting into all kinds of trouble that she didn't need to be in. And I was always the one that had to go save her scrawny ass. Ah, get the hell out of my head, you dumbass broad!' Mugen yelled at himself as he shoved past more obnoxious crowds of cheerful people.

One of the local women caught a glimpse of him and couldn't help but smile cheerfully at him and gave him a desirable wink in his direction. Mugen caught that wink from the pretty looking woman and shoot a lustful eye at her. He saw from a good distance the pink on her cheeks and started towards her, completely forgetting about locating the samurai girl. It wasn't until he was five feet away from her when a dashing young man came to her side and wrapped a single arm around her waist.

The woman continued to eye Mugen lustfully but silently mouthed sorry while in the man's grasp. That was a hint that she is already taken but took an interest in him despite being with a man already. This is where Mugen couldn't help but punch himself from being so stupid to think that she was actually single. "Dammit all." Mugen mumbled. Instead of standing there sulking, he begun to look for a place to crash for the night. Mugen looked over peoples heads to see if there was anything close by but there seemed to be no inns nearby for him to sleep. He probably won't be able to get a room anyway when he has little to no money in his pockets. "Fuck this." He mumbled again then turned around to head back to the fork and sleep in that worn out shack.

Just as he turned in the direction he came, something pulled at him within his chest. He can't seem to explain what is going on right now, but he knew if he turned around and went back, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Being weighed down with two options, he scratched at his scalp in irritation then swung back around to locate the samurai girl. 'Why am I even bothering with this? I should be sleeping somewhere where there is no loud noises, but dammit something keeps on telling me not to leave. Why the hell is that?' Mugen thought again as he scanned the area for a girl that would look like a samurai.

After a long while, Mugen finally came to the center of the town where believe or not is much less crowded and quieter. There are a few women in groups of three talking and solitary men sitting on the dirt ground with their heads in their hands, obviously a little too drunk to walk. Mugen's slate gray eyes scanned the heart of the village with very little interest now. He came this far and still hasn't seen the girl, whatever she may look like. He may not know what she looks like, but he remembered what that old man told him. The samurai girl has taken a liking for a small tea house. 'Teahouse, huh?' Mugen thought then looked slightly towards the left to see the teahouse. He then sighs heavily again then drags his feet to the entrance and peered inside to see that there was hardly anyone inside.

He pushed aside the curtain with a quick flip then set himself by the entrance. He lazily sits back with his head propped against the wooden back wall of the teahouse, instantly succumbing to exhaustion. 'God, it's been a long day,' Mugen thought as he crossed his arms behind his head. It is quiet in the teahouse. Maybe a little too quiet that the ex-convict and pirate fell asleep, fairly quickly really. He was just on the verge of drifting into a deep and much needed sleep when a small voice called out to him.

"Mugen?" the voice started in what seemed to be a mix of confusion and shock.

Mugen growled from being awaken from this tiny voice that he tried to ignore even all the while ignoring the approaching footsteps coming in his directions. The voice called to him again, only this time much closer. "Mugen? Is, is that really you?" the voice asked him.

Much to his displeasure, Mugen did not want to respond to whoever is speaking to him, but curiosity got the better of him. At the same time though, the voice that has been speaking to him sounded very familiar to him. He slowly opens one eye to see a young woman, about seventeen of age, looking down on him with wide surprised eyes. He noticed from the very corner of her eyes, that there are tears threatening to fall from her doe like brown eyes.

'Wait a minute, those eyes? I know those eyes, anywhere,' Mugen thought then opened his other eye to get a better view of who stood before him.

He inhaled sharply then a large lump sat in his throat when he realized who stood in front of him. The girl is petite in size with not so impressive breasts, but seemed to fit her frame. She wore what seemed to be samurai attire in the color of his red hoari. He can clearly see the pink girly tanto hidden in the left side of her kimono and the bindings that covered those so-so breasts of hers. Mugen almost didn't recognize her because of what she wore, yet alone the way her brown hair lay but there is not mistaken who he is eyeing. 'So this is what my heart has been leading to? Her?'

After a long moment in awkward silence, Mugen finally spoke, "What the hell, Fuu?"

* * *

I finally did a sequel that will explain a little of what is going on with Fuu which I will most likely be starting another sequel sometime soon. Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. R&R, please!


End file.
